By: Olivia Cahill
Since quarantine, I have started to develop a newfound interest in all things plants. It always seems like a good idea and pretty easy to become a plant person, “how hard could it really be?”. Now some of you may not experience any difficulty when trying to keep a simple household plant alive; however, if you’re like me and do not have a green thumb of any sort, the plant life can seem impossible and even daunting. I am here to tell you though that even if you don’t have a green thumb, the plant life is still possible. There are definitely a few key plants to stay away from (fiddle figs) if you are not a gardening prodigy, but I have compiled a list of some of the most indestructible household plants and some tips on how to let them thrive.
The ZZ Plant
Otherwise known as the Zanzibar gem, this plant is not only a beautiful addition to any room, it is a serious chore to kill. If you water it every couple of weeks and leave it in an area with some light, it will be with you for a while.
Pothos
Also referred to as Devil’s Ivy due to its tolerance to little light and infrequent watering schedules. For all of you living in the dorms or in a place that does not get much direct sunlight, this plant will help elevate your room with minimal effort. These plants will require watering only when the soil is arid, which is beneficial for those who may be forgetful when it comes to watering plants consistently.
Cast-Iron Plant
These plants are able to handle very low, and high levels of light (just not direct sun) and are very adaptable to extreme temperature changes. Another plus is the fact that it is slow-growing and drought-tolerant, perfect because it adds beauty to any room without requiring constant attention.
Snake Plant
This plant is again perfect for any of you who are living in the dorms because it requires very low levels of lighting and does best when you flood the soil with water to allow the water to drain out - the plant will reabsorb it as needed (actually a very cool thing!).
Rubber Plant
Contrary to the name, this is not a faux plant. I would say out of the plants mentioned above, this one will require a little more of your attention (but nothing you can’t handle). In some conditions, rubber plants can grow pretty quickly and get to be rather large. This plant will thrive with lots of indirect sunlight and damp (not soggy) soil (water about every 1-2 weeks). What’s pretty cool about rubber plants, though, is that the leaves will change colors depending on light exposure.
Hopefully this quick guide was useful and you are feeling more confident in your plant growing abilities. However, if none of these plants intrigue you that’s okay sometimes just going with a faux plant is the way to go and no one is any the wiser!
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